


Can't Do Anything Right

by agentwashingcat



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Clover lives au, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Spoilers for volume 7, The comfort has been added!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22565260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentwashingcat/pseuds/agentwashingcat
Summary: Clover visits Qrow in jail. Mostly just rated T for Qrow's swearing.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 13
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

Qrow didn’t know how many days he’d been locked in this cell. All the days ran together, and even though he got three meals a day, it wasn’t enough for him to track the passage of time. Or care, really.

So when footsteps echoed down the hallway, he just assumed it was mealtime. Lunch, probably, but he didn’t know for certain. He hadn’t bothered to look at the tray that had been dropped off earlier. He’d just laid on his cot, staring at the prison wall. Just like he was now. Just like he would be when the next one came.

The footsteps stopped outside his cell, but there were no keys clanging in the lock, no tray sliding across the floor. Just… silence. 

“Qrow?”

Upright in an instant, he stared wide eyed through the cell bars at one Clover Ebi. In 2 strides he was across the cell, reaching through the bars for Clover. 

“I thought-” Qrow choked back a sob, shaking his head. He cupped Clover’s face in his hands, as if he could pull him through the bars.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Clover murmured, placing his hands over Qrow’s. “It’s okay, I’m here.” Their heads rested on either side of the bars, close but unable to touch.

“Why’d you have to do what you were told?” Qrow asked brokenly. He wanted so badly to just slip through the bars and hold Clover, to cradle him, to tell him everything was okay.

But it wasn’t. Not by a long shot. 

Clover sighed, sad green eyes meeting Qrow’s red ones. A hand came up to run through Qrow’s hair, gently, and Qrow didn’t pull away. He didn’t have it in him. 

“Qrow… I can’t just go against the general's orders.”

“Not even for me?” He’d thought… shit, what had he thought? That he’d meant something to Clover? That he was more important than his job? 

He didn’t know anymore.

Another sigh. “Don’t be like that.”

“Like what?” Qrow asked, pulling away. Putting a couple of small steps between them. “Like I shouldn’t be upset you kept attacking me when a serial killer was on the loose?”

“That was… a mistake in judgement.” Clover looked at him pleadingly, arms still hanging through the bars. “I’m sorry.”

Qrow stared at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Just about that, or for trying to arrest me too?” He should probably just drop it. He was… he was the one who’d almost gotten Clover killed after all.

But fuck if there wasn’t an ache in his chest whenever he thought about Clover, like a knife through the heart.

“I can’t,” Clover stopped, letting out an frustrated noise, a hand running through his hair in exasperation. “Qrow, I can’t disobey orders.”

“You can if they’re bad orders. Or you should.”

“It’s nothing personal!”

“It’s all personal!” Qrow snarled, taking another step back. “James is losing his goddamn mind and you’re just  _ following orders! _ Can’t you think for yourself for a change?”

Tension hung heavy in the air between them, and Qrow didn’t dare look at Clover, staring hard at the floor. Maybe there were just… too many differences between them to overcome. And maybe it was better that way. It wasn’t like Qrow brought anything good into anyone’s lives. For fuck’s sake, Clover’s semblance was the opposite of his, and he had still nearly gotten him killed.

What was the goddamn point?

“I can’t apologize for doing my job, Qrow.”

“...then maybe you should go.”

“Qrow-”

“GO!”

There was silence for a moment, and then Qrow heard Clover back away from the bars. “I’m sorry.” 

Qrow didn’t say anything, and finally Clover’s steps retreated down the hallway. He waited until they had disappeared completely, and then he collapsed on his cot, sobbing into his hands.

Why couldn’t he do anything right?


	2. Setting Things Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clover comes to a realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone wanted some from Clover's pov so I did a little bit! Qrow is just easier for me lol.

Clover paced around his apartment, mind going a million miles a minute. He hadn’t stopped thinking since Qrow had… well, kicked him out of the jail, he guessed. 

Was Qrow right? Clover had meant it when he said it wasn’t personal but… had he been right about everything else? Should Clover have disobeyed orders? It was true he didn’t necessarily think this was a good idea but… what else were they supposed to do?

But it was also true that James was clearly terrified of Salem. Marrow had mentioned she appeared in his office somehow. That she was on her way here. And he’d seen the storm outside of Atlas. It definitely wasn’t natural. And with Ruby and co. missing, things were looking dire.

He had tried to talk some sense into James, but he wasn’t hearing it. Team RWBY had lied to him and he wasn’t going to let that go. Clover didn’t exactly approve of what they had done, but he knew they had Atlas and Mantle’s best interests at heart.

Something he wasn’t sure was still true of James.

Making a decision, he grabbed his weapon, heading out.

-

Qrow was woken from his fitful sleep by the cell door crashing open. Blinking, he rolled over, staring for a minute at Clover standing there, bathed in moonlight. 

If he wasn’t still pissed off, he might have even called in angelic.

However, he was, in fact, very pissed off. “The fuck do you want?” 

“I’m breaking you out,” Clover said simply, offering a hand to Qrow. “We’ll grab your weapon, grab Robyn, and go find your nieces. What do you say?”

There was a moment where Qrow simply stared at him. Was he dreaming? “I… what changed your mind?”

“You did. You were right. Now come on, we only have so much time.” Clover was standing there, smiling softly, and Qrow just… couldn’t say no.

So he reached out, taking Clover's hand. “Okay. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <3


End file.
